Flashback
by iheartkiwi
Summary: "I am going to tell you this one time and I won't say it again," The ambers burned into her violets, the moment was so intimate as if the time had stopped. Just the two of them and nothing else.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor the cover pic. Welcome to my short story.

* * *

 **Flashback**

 _"I close my eyes and the flashback starts"_

* * *

Ichigo groaned as he blinked a few times into the darkness, ambers trying to adjust to his surroundings. He automatically felt the mattress to his side with a hand and felt the cold sheets.

"Fuck…" He muttered as he rubbed his face with his hands.

She didn't sleep next to him again.

He sighed as he covered his eyes with his forearms, breathing in and out deeply, out of frustration. His insides were fucking uncomfortable as he sat up and gave his arms a good stretch. Judging from the setting of the moon, he still had a few hours of sleep before he had to leave. Pulling the sheets off of his legs, he swung his legs around and gave a shudder as they touched the chilled floor. His eyes swiftly scanned the bed and noticed the thick blanket was gone as well and knew exactly where she would be.

Ichigo stood for a moment and tried his best to not let his emotions show as he wondered how the hell was he going to make things right with her.

 **…**

Rukia sighed, wrapping the thick blanket around her shoulders as she stared up into the sky at the large white moon, with a few over cast clouds hovering in front of it. A few tears traveled down her cheek as she blinked several times, not even trying to stop the tears from falling. She sniffled quietly as she continued to observe her surroundings. Always on alert even when in an emotional state.

She felt him. He must be awake.

She knew it wouldn't be long until he finds her and soon they will part their ways.

 **…**

 _"Do you wish to save your family or not?" Rukia cried out angrily to the orange hair boy as he was glaring up at the hollow. "Do you want to save them or not?"_

 _The boy glanced down at the hurt woman, eyes furious, "Of course I want to fucking save them!"_

 _Rukia surveyed the hollow, how could she be so damn stupid and so weak, especially when someone life is in danger? She stared up at the orange haired boy, something about him was different and yet he could see her. How can a human see her? Grimacing from the pain she clenched her teeth in frustration, it was now or they will die. What fucking choice did she have?_

 _"My zanpakutou…," Rukia started._

 _"Your what? What the hell is a zanpakutou?" He asked confusingly while looking around frantically._

 _"You fool, now is not the time to ask questions! If you want to save them…There is a way but there will be consequences…" Rukia began to explain._

 _"I don't fucking care if I will die after I save them, I don't care about the consequence just tell me what I have to do! I will give up my life to save my family so just fucking tell me!" The orange haired boy yelled impatiently._

 _Rukia clenched her hands around her zanpakutou, "You- You must become a Soul Reaper then."_

 _He stared at her bewildered, "I must what? What the hell is that?"_

 _"If you wish to save your family, I will give you half of my powers. You will have only one chance to defeat the hollow and to save your family," Rukia explained through clenched teeth. "But there is more to explain! About the consequences..."_

 _"We don't have fucking time to go through with an explanation. I will do it. What do I have to do? Hurry we don't have any more time to waste Soul Reaper!" The boy squeezed his hands into fists._

 _Rukia shook her head as she held out the blade of the zanpakutou to his heart, "If I am going to give you half my powers, you should know I am Kuchiki Rukia."_

 _The boy smirked, "Kurosaki Ichigo, nice to meet you."_

 _Rukia hesitated for a moment as he smirked at her but before she could ponder anymore on that smirk the hollow roared loud as both of them swiftly glance at the large being._

 _"We have no time!" Rukia yelled out and she turned towards Ichigo still holding the blade to his heart. "You must stab the zanpakatou through your heart!"_

 _Ichigo looked bewildered at the request but once the hollow roared again he nodded with determination._

 _"Ready?" Ichigo asked her._

 _Rukia nodded, "Yes." Without another moment of hesitation, she plunged the blade through his heart._

 _Ichigo let out a silent cry in pain before a crash nearby which was caused by the Hollow, blocked Rukia's vision of the sight of him as the dust particle has filled the air._

 _Once the air was cleared, she let out a small gasped and widened those violet irises. Staring off at Ichigo who was glaring up at the hollow, with a very large blade resting on his shoulders before he dashed off with incredible quickness._

 _She somehow had given him all her powers._

 _Biting her lips to ease the pain, she crawled forward and rested on her hands as she continued to observed him. His zanpakutou she noted was the largest she has seen. His movements were fast yet subtle, somewhat sloppy but with time and practice he can easily be unpredicted with stealth. Closing her eyes from being so weak she felt it, the consequence._

 _Badump…badump…badump…_

 _Rukia panted in shock as her eyes shot open, as she felt the heart beat gently and unnervingly calmed._

 _This wasn't her hearbeat._

 _No, this was Ichigo's heartbeat._

 _The consequence she had yet to explain was extremely rare between shinigamis and humans. This was far more intimate than feeling another spiritual pressure. The bond between them now will be unbreakable as their souls are now connected which was the reason she could feel him. His raw anger was raging through her body but what was eerie was his heart beat. She could feel it working alongside with hers in an almost calming and comforting matter as if it was a lullaby to her._

 _There was only one way to break the connected bond; through death._

 _Rukia was still frozen on the floor, taking in all the new sensations that were now awakened within her. Her eyes were still on Ichigo as the hollow had fallen before him before dispersing within the air in defeat._

 _The ambers and the violets were soon met and she suddenly realized that he too has felt their consequences._

 **…**

Ichigo flung on a shirt over his bare chest and closed his eyes for a brief moment. Scowling, he opened his eyes once he realized she was trying to hide her presence. He fucking hate that the most. When she was upset with him or sad about anything, she shuts herself out completely.

 **...**

 _"Again Ichigo!" Rukia whispered harshly as she sat in his closet across from him while he was seated on his bed facing her._

 _He rubbed the palm of his hands into his eyes, "How many times do we have to do this? We have a fucking exam tomorrow and you are making me stay up late doing this shit instead?"_

 _"You fool!" Rukia hissed. "We need to learn to shut out our emotions from each other since our souls are now bounded with one another."_

 _Ichigo scratched at his jaw, "It is rather annoying when you get overly excited from that stupid raccoon."_

 _She didn't know. She didn't know that he really had found a way to minimize the reveal of his emotions towards her. In fact, it was similar to hiding the presence of his spiritual pressure. Ichigo was strictly playing dumb to get the rise out of her. The way her cheeks flushed with frustration and the widening of the violets to the various different shades of violets that coordinated with her emotions. But one he secretly craved was the way she bit her lower lip. When she tugged the lower lip between the white teeth in anger was not helping with his erection._

 _But he had learned how to hide it._

 _Rukia cocked her head as she noticed that Ichigo was staring at her rather intently as if… no, she shook her head and washed any thoughts away as this was strictly business between them, "Again Ichigo!"_

 **…**

They promised each other however, that no matter what. No matter what they will not close each other out, they will still have the feint presence of each other's heartbeat.

Throwing on his robe, he flashed stepped quietly out of their room and onto the rooftop from their balcony window. Keep his breathing at a stable level he spotted the small girl, looking so unbelievably tiny in the thick blanket that was wrapped around her. Her back was to him as she was continuing to stare up into the sky, at the pale moon.

 **…**

 _'Rustle Rustle'_

 _Ichigo tossed and turned in his bed as he continued to heard the rustling coming from his closet. Exhausted, he flung the blankets off of him and went straight to his feet. With great frustration, he threw the closet door opened and glared into the darkness at the small girl._

 _"Can you please not be so fucking noisy? I got school tomorrow!" Ichigo scowled quietly as Rukia's face became visible through the moonlight that was shown through the window. Ichigo clenched his fist a bit tighter as he studied the smooth pale skin that glowed from the moon. Those raven locks were slightly tousled from moving around so much about her sleep. The violets, they were large and incredible but they held so much anger as she glared back at him._

 _"Correction, WE have school tomorrow and besides, if you had to sleep in a shitty closet then you wouldn't be sleeping as well as me either."_

 _Ichigo glanced passed her shoulder and looked at her makeshift bed from the blankets he had given her. He ruffled his hands through his hair as he reached behind her and grabbed her pillow to which he threw onto his bed._

 _"Sleep in my bed then," Ichigo grimaced slightly but not as much as he thought as her eyes lit up in the darkness at such a nice gesture._

 _"Really? Where will you sleep then?" Rukia whispered as she hopped out of the closet towards the comfortable bed._

 _"Don't be stupid, I am going to sleep in my bed too," Ichigo yawned as he scratched at his belly under his thin t-shirt while making his way back to the bed as well._

 _Rukia froze, "You mean we are going to be sleeping together?"_

 _Ichigo scowled, "You want me to fucking sleep in the closet? How can I fit in there when you barely can?" He brushed passed her and laid down on the right side of the bed, the side nearest to the door._

 _"But it is so inappropriate for us to be sleeping with each other!" Rukia hissed as she continued to stare at him with bewildered eyes._

 _"Look, if you want to sleep in the closet then fine. This is my last time offering you to sleep in my bed. Besides, I don't want to fucking touch you anyways," Ichigo smirked as he closed his eyes and rested his hands behind his head._

 _The last bit irked the small girl as she stomped her way towards his bed and even made effort to make sure she stomped onto his hard abs as she settled onto her own side of the bed. Laying side by side, they just had enough room for each other but if they moved not even half an inch, they would be touching._

 _Ichigo let out a tired sigh, "See now that wasn't too hard now was it?" He could feel her wanting to rant at him put instead he tossed the covers back over the both of them._

 _Rukia didn't want to be as close to him as she was so aware of his scent all around her. Unaware she was snuggling further into the blankets as the scent was becoming comforting to her. She turned onto her side, away from him as that will leave several more inches of gap in between them._

 _"Ichigo?" Rukia whispered after a few moments of silence._

 _Ichigo let out a very incoherent sound to show he was listening._

 _"Thank you."_

 _They both drifted off to sleep, unconscious to the fact they were both listening to each other's heartbeat._

 ** _…_**

Rukia continued to stare up at the white moon as she blinked a few more tears that were cascading down her cheeks. This time, she quickly wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand as she cuddled into the thick blanket, inhaling his scent. Memorizing it. Feeling the warmth it brought her. How she treasured after they made love, his scent was all over her.

His touch. His kiss.

She needed to memorize it all.

Her heart was hurting.

She hasn't felt so broken, not since…

 **…**

 _"Let go of me Renji! Please just let go of me!" Rukia cried out as she tried to squirm out of her best friend's grip. "Ichigo is-"_

 _"Calm the hell down Rukia!" Renji spat as he tightened his hold onto her. "Look at him, the rookie is dead! There is no point of crying over the dead." He looked at her with worry as he bowed down his head slightly._

 _"If you go to him Rukia, they will add at least twenty years to your sentence… Please don't do this," He whispered as he peered back up at her._

 _"No Renji," She retorted. "I was the one who dragged him into everything! He died because of me! Since it is my fault, is it wrong for me to want to go to him?"_

 _She looked passed Renji's shoulder when she heard a small chuckle and noticed her brother in law, Byakuya smirking at her._

 _"You want to be by his side because he resembles **him** , don't you?"_

 _Rukia didn't respond as she did not hear what he had said, but instead felt a small beat of Ichigo's heart flowing through her. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched in relief yet in horror as Ichigo reached up from the ground to grab onto Byakuya's robe._

 _"Don't talk about me unless I have a fucking say in it," Ichigo rasped with his signature smirk._

 _"No…Ichigo, please don't-" Rukia cried out to him._

 _Byakuya glared down at Ichigo, "You won't have an arm for long."_

 _Ichigo smirked up at him but before he could retort, a foot compressed onto his hand which caused him to release Byakuya's robe. He looked up surprised to see the small girl stepping on his hand._

 _"How dare you touch my brother's robe," Rukia spat as she dug her foot into Ichigo's hand causing him to writher in pain. "You're a human and not a shingami!"_

 _"Rukia?"_

 _"Know your damn place rookie," Rukia gave his hand one more grind with her feet before releasing him. She turned towards her brother. "Let's go, I finally came to my senses after seeing such crude behavior towards you…"_

 _She glanced away from Ichigo, "I accept my sins and punishment… I will go back to Soul Society williningly."_

 _"Rukia," Ichigo groaned as he tried to push himself up off the ground. "What the fuck are you talking about. I know that is not what you want!" He was pushed back down onto the ground with Renji stomping down on his back._

 _"Just shut up and die quietly," Renji spoke lowly before heading towards the others. "There is no point in killing him, he will stop breathing on his own." Renji gave a quick glance towards the small girl but kept his face straight with no emotion as he and Byakuya started to head back._

 _"Hey!" Ichigo tried once again to push himself off of the ground. "Rukia-"_

 _"Don't move!" Rukia called back to him with only a few feet distance between the two of them. "Don't try to follow me… because if you do…" She finally turned around and looked down at the him. Tears glistened slightly in those violets._

 _"I will never forgive you."_

 _Ichigo watched her leave without her looking back at him, but as he closed his eyes while laying on the floor he felt her._

 _He felt her heart apologizing to him._

 _He also felt her love for him._

 **…**

Ichigo just continued to watch her from afar, knowing that she knew he had found her. He didn't know what to say. What can he say? Expressing his emotions wasn't him.

 **…**

 _"She means that much to you, doesn't she…"_

 _Ichigo looked over at the auburn hair girl as he waited for the signal to go through the gate to the other side, "Of course she does, Inoue. You all mean a lot to me especially for going with me."_

 _Inoue turned away, "She means that much to you that you are willing to go on a suicide mission to save her?"_

 _Ichigo ran his hand through his hair as the other gripped Zangetsu, "Because of her, my sisters are still alive. I owe her my life."_

 _She shook her head unconvinced, "You want to save her because you love her. I know you do. I know you love her because I would do the same if you were the one that needed rescuing… I can see it on you face Kurosaki… I know that look…"_

 _"I-," He didn't know what to say as he was thrown aloof by her sudden outburst. Sure he feels an attraction towards the small girl but part of him thought it was their bond that was making him feel that way._

 _Closing his eyes, he focused on her, on her steady heartbeat. Feeling the comfort it brought him and the calming of his own soul. Opening the ambers, he stared into Inoue's and didn't say another word._

 _She was right._

 _"It's time!" Urahara called out to them._

 ** _…_**

"Go back to bed Ichigo, you need the rest as you have to leave when the sun peaks over the horizon."

Ichigo flashed stepped a few feet away from Rukia, "Come with me then."

Rukia shook her head while looking down at her fingers, interlocking them, "What's the point?"

"Don't fucking do this to me right now, especially when-"

"Don't do what?" Rukia stood dropping the heavy blanket onto the roof tiles. "I am not the one leaving Ichigo, you are!"

"I am doing this for you! For…" He glanced down towards her abdomen while clenching his hands into tight fists.

"You already saved me once Ichigo... Fuck, you saved Soul Society from Aizen. Why does it always have to be you?" Rukia whispered as the tears flowed freely.

"You already saved me…"

 **…**

 _Rukia closed her eyes as she prepared to die._

 _'I am content with my life… to have the chance to meet and gain all my friends.'_

 _'Old friends…'_

 _Renji and other shingamis flashed through her mind._

 _'New friends…"_

 _Inoue, Ishida, Chad, and the others she met flashed through her mind._

 _'And…"_

 _Her tears started to fall as she felt the flame of Soukyoku._

 _'I never got to tell you Ichigo… I am so happy I had met you. You changed my life and showed me what true happiness could be like.'_

 _She soaked in relief of his present heartbeat and was thankful he was still alive despite his attempted rescue. His heartbeat was all she needed to get through this. To get through dying. She was okay as long as she felt him before she died._

 _The flame grew hotter as she knew it was time. Closing her eyes she pictured him standing before her with that stupid scowl on his face as if he wasn't ever happy but always in a bad mood._

 _'Ichigo, I love-"_

 _Her eyes widened as she heard gasps and shouts from down below, not noticing she was being engulfed in black._

 _"What is this?" A hint of orange caught her eye as her breath caught in her throat._

 _"Yo," Ichigo casually called over to her as he stood in the air before her looking so casual and calm._

 _"Ichigo?" Her jaw dropped. "You fucking idiot! Why did you come for me? You are going to die because you can't beat my brother let alone Soukyoku!"_

 _He was taken by surprise, "W-what?"_

 _"Go home! You can still get away from here!" Rukia cried out as she leaned forward from her shackles. "Please…go home…"_

 _Ichigo lowered his blade and looked back over his shoulder at the bright flame starting to erupt, he noticed the bird was going to attack once again. Instead of wasting time he shadowed up to the top of the execution bar._

 _"What are you doing?" Rukia shouted as she looked up at him._

 _He smirked, "Obviously I will break this execution pole!"_

 _Rukia was about to start yelling again but Ichigo had stopped her with a raised hand, "Just shut up and watch."_

 _She held her breath as she watched him pierce his zanpakuto into the wooden beam, splitting the bar into two._

 _She started to fall down as the shackled were released._

 _"Listen you brat," Ichigo whispered as he grabbed onto her waist pulling her close into his side. The bond from their touch almost immediately overwhelmed them both as their feelings collide with one another._

 _"I am going to tell you this one time and I won't say it again," The ambers burned into her violets, the moment was so intimate as if the time had stopped. Just the two of them and nothing else._

 _"I love you."_

 _Rukia closed her eyes as she felt his warmth overpower her, trying to hold her tears in from the confession._

 _"I won't… say thank you, you idiot," She buried her face into his chest and breathed in his scent._

 ** _To be continued..._**

* * *

 _Aye Bleachers, this is another very short story that I had sitting in my folder. I was writing SSM but then I saw this, thought you guys might like something different. I was listening to James Bay- Let it Go and it gave me the feels to write this a few months ago. Should be completed in one more chapter or so. Let me know how you feel on this._

xoxo-jae


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Mature content. I do not own Bleach nor the cover pic.

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Flashback**

* * *

 _"Y-you guys are crazy!" The scared Shinigami screamed. "Why would you go all this way for Kuchiki Rukia? Isn't she just a friend? Is it really necessary to go this far for just a friend?"_

 _"Of course she is!" Ishida exclaimed as he grits his teeth. "Because she-"_

 _"But she's not just a friend…" Inoue interrupted as she glanced at the explosion from the distance which she was sure was caused by Ichigo. "No, not to Kurosaki. Rukia is the most important person to him. Because…"_

 _"Inoue?" Ishida face became concern when he noticed the pain expression across the girl's face._

 _"Rukia is the person who changed his world."_

 _…_

Ichigo stepped closer to the love of his life as she was still crying quietly before him. He raised a warm hand to cradle the side of her chilled cheeks from the cold, using his thumb to gently wipe the tears that were falling before they hit her lips.

"You are an idiot," Ichigo softly said as he still tried to make eye contact with her as she kept avoiding him. "Don't you know? You saved me too."

…

 _Ichigo sighed as started to walk towards his classroom. He was so fucking brave to confess his feelings to her yet he didn't hear anything back from her. It has been months since he had last seen her, since he had rescued her. Rubbing the back of his neck he thought of her more as he allowed his mind to drift off to her heart. Normally he only feels the feint heart when he was about to go to sleep but he need to sense her, to help him continue on with his life without her. After his defeat, he felt at a loss. He didn't know what to do and everyone seems to not know what to say. Fuck, his friends got hurt because he was too weak to protect them._

 _Badump…Badump…Badump…_

 _His brows furrowed together, he noticed the heartbeat was stronger as if-_

 _"What the hell?" Ichigo scowled as he walked in the classroom and noticed her standing at the open window, waiting for him. The sight of her overwhelmed his heart which he knew she would feel as he didn't even try to hide it._

 _Before he could say anything to her, she swiftly jumped down from the window and lunged for his collar, dragging him out of the classroom as the other students gasp in shock._

 _"R-Rukia?" Ichigo choked out as she pulled at his collar a bit tighter and dragged him outside of the school building with the other Shinigamis waiting for them. Ichigo grabbed onto her hand that was pulling at his shirt, "What the fuck has gotten into you!"_

 _With a specialty gloved Urahara had given her, she slapped Ichigo on the face causing him to stumble and not noticing he was in his Shinigami form as he laid on the ground. Dumfounded, he glanced up at the furious small girl._

 _"Why does your face have such a wimpy look on it?" Rukia glared down at him._

 _He was taken aback by the comment but could not think more of it when Rukia grabbed his collar of his robe once more to drag him away._

 _"Come with me!" Rukia shouted as she pulled and pulled at his collar._

 _Ichigo was choking again, "W-What has gotten into you? Where the hell are you taking me?"_

 _"Shut up," Rukia hissed as she climbed onto his back. "You are much faster than I am in my gigai, so start running!"_

 _Ichigo tightened his hold around her thighs, feeling the smoothness of her skin. Just from that direct contact made his heart beat a bit faster. He closed his eyes and vision the milky skin, the taste, how she will react if he ran his tongue across her thigh._

 _"What are you doing?" Rukia broke his thoughts with an uncomfortable clearing of her throat from his firm grip on her bare skin. "Start running!"_

 _Ichigo couldn't help but smirk a little knowing the small girl was blushing slightly. He started to run as fast as he can, following her directions. He hasn't been in this form for a few weeks but it felt so natural for him more than his human form. Free even as he picked up the pace. Ichigo was a bit relieved as his movements were still stealth and subtle, even after his near death._

 _"Over there! Do you see it?" Rukia called from over his shoulder while pointing in the distance._

 _Ichigo looked directly to where she was pointing at, "A hollow?"_

 _"Yes, go get it now!" Rukia yelled as she kicked off his back causing him to move forward towards the hollow._

 _The hollow noticed him and swung down one of his arms at him, Ichigo jumped out of its way nearly getting hit._

 _"What are you doing!" Rukia called from the side. "You are not going to lose like that to a hollow are you?"_

 _"Shut the hell up!" Ichigo retorted back as he dodged another near hit._

 _"You don't think I don't know?" Rukia bellowed as she crossed her arms. "You don't think I don't know that you have not taken the form of Shinigami ever since you lost to those arrancars?"_

 _Ichigo clenched his teeth as he dodged another blow, listening to her words._

 _"What are you afraid of?" Rukia questioned him. "Inoue got hurt! Chad got hurt! So what? Have you always been the man that always loses his way after on defeat? Over something so little? Is it that scary to lose? To not be able to protect your friends? Or are you afraid, afraid of that hollow living inside of you?"_

 _Ichigo turned back towards her as she continued to stare with concern at his ambers._

 _"If you are afraid of losing Ichigo, just get stronger."_

 _"If you're afraid of not being able to protect your friends, swear to get stronger until you can protect them."_

 _"If you are afraid of the hollow inside of you, just get stronger until you can crush him."_

 _"If you don't want to listen to others, then hold your chin up and yell those words to yourself!"_

 _"That is the kind of man you have been in my heart Kurosaki Ichigo. That is the kind of man that I come to love!"_

 _Ichigo felt her love spread through his body and warmed every inch of him. He closed his eyes and once he opened them again, he gave her a look of determination as well as his signature smirk._

 _"You know brat; you are really noisy sometimes."_

 **…**

He lowered his lips to kiss her tears away on the side of her cheek, tasting the salt on the tip of his tongue.

"Please don't cry Rukia," Ichigo urged her gently as it tore his heart into two when she looked so broken.

Rukia reached up and grabbed ahold of his hand that cradled her face with both of her hands and lowered her forehead to his lips as she allowed the tears to now hit the glass roof tiles.

"I… I just don't want you to go Ichigo," She sobbed as she tightened her hold on his hand. "Please don't go…"

"As one of the Gotei Captains, it is my duty Rukia you know that. Besides, you are the one who told me to protect those I love. I am here to protect you. I will do anything to ensure you are safe from any harm."

"We already went through so much Ichigo… why do we always have to say goodbye?" Rukia quietly cried.

"We said goodbye to each other many times," Ichigo chuckled as he pressed another kiss to her forehead. "It is what we do."

"But not like this Ichigo, this is not like the other times. This time you aren't coming back to me!"

…

 _Ichigo sat up in his bed and noticed he was being surrounded by his friends. He rubbed his eyes with his hands as he tried to stretch out his arms from being so stiff from his sleep._

 _"Why am I in my house?" Ichigo asked as he looked around confused at his friend's concerned faces._

 _Rukia stepped forward out of the shadows, "It's because you have actually been sleeping for about a month now…"_

 _"A month…" Ichigo repeated._

 _"Ichigo, Urahara has told me… He told me you have lost all your Shinigami power," Her eyes shifted down as sadness stated to overwhelm her._

 _"I see..." Ichigo started before running a hand through his hair as he sat up in his bed. "I guess that means I will have to give up being a substitute soul reaper as well."_

 _"You are already at the second stage Ichigo," Rukia explained while trying her best to stabilize her voice but she knew her emotions were giving herself away to him. "Your remaining spiritual power will fade away."_

 _Ichigo didn't say a word as he realized what she has meant. He could feel his heart forming a crack, "Can we step outside for a bit Rukia?" He stood up out of the bed and stretched out his arms once more before he reached his hands out towards her._

 _Rukia's eyes glistened as she touched his hand and interlocked their fingers, allowing him to take her outside of the clinic, away from their group of friends._

 _They were quiet for a moment as they stood outside the clinic's front door while standing in front of each other, fingers still interlocked._

 _"I-I am really going to lose my powers," Ichigo quietly said as he felt Rukia's presence slowly fading away. Why does this have to start so soon?_

 _"Yes," Rukia whispered as she stepped closer to him and leaned her forehead against his chest. "You already know… you won't be able to see me anymore Ichigo once you completely lose your spiritual powers."_

 _Ichigo lowered his face to her soft hair, inhaling her strawberry scent from her shampoo, "But I can still feel you within me." He felt her heart radiate through him as she allowed it._

 _Rukia nodded quickly as she cleared her throat, trying not to let out a sob, "Yes, we will keep our bond even though you have lost your powers. The bond is unbreakable but only through death shall it break… even though you can never see me again… at least you know I will always still be with you."_

 _Ichigo brought a hand to raise her chin up so he could see her face. Her eyes were full of tears as she looked up at him. Ever so slowly, he lowered his lips and captured her mouth that he had yet had to taste. They have been so busy saving the world that they had never shared a decent kiss between one another._

 _Rukia instantly melted and let out a small moaned against his lips. She was surprised when he slipped his tongue in between her lips, to have that one first and last taste of her. She brought up her small hands to grip his shirt tightly as Ichigo wrapped one arm around her waist and the other hand entangled in the back of her hair._

 _He tasted the salt mixed with sweet, as she was crying freely but still they never broke apart as the desperately pulled each other closer and closer. Frantically trying to savor and memorize the taste of their love for one another._

 _After a few heated moments, they pulled apart, breathing heavily as he rested his head onto her forehead, both eyes closed as they let themselves be engulfed in their bond. Their love._

 _"Rukia…" Ichigo could feel her fading away._

 _She tightened her hold on his shirt, "Yes?"_

 _Fuck, he wasn't ready to let her go. He wasn't prepared for this. How could he be asleep for a fucking month with her there and only get a few minutes when he was finally awake to be with her. They were so busy defeating Aizen that he never got to do the things. Why? Why must she be from a different world than him? His Shinigami form is more comfortable than his human form anyway. He rather be a substitute soul reaper for the rest of his life than to be a doctor like his father and live a normal life. With her, everything was far from normal and that was what he wanted. He fucking loved her. To be this selfish…_

 _"Marry me."_

 _He kept his eyes closed knowing her answer would not come._

 _Afraid to open his eyes as he was already aware._

 _Aware that she wasn't there anymore._

 ** _To be continued..._**

* * *

 _Aye, yeah I know I said it will completed this chapter but I thought this was a good stopping place. There are so many scenes throughout bleach so I am trying to incorporate as much as I can. I hope you like this so far, let me know your thoughts lovelies! Now i feel one more chapter and most likely an epilogue. Sorry for the angst but really not sorry._

 _Thank you for the reviews and love. I am glad to see so many authors are writing more and more for IchiRuki. This community is all we have, so we must do our best to keep IchiRuki alive. If you have an idea for a story just get it out there. Don' have to be a wonderful writer because I am shit at it but least it will give us the feels we need! Still pissed at Kubo but he is a brilliant man._

 _xoxo-jae_


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